Place: Idukki District, Kerala
Best time to visit: October to March 
Nearest town: Munnar (15km)
Main attraction: Nilgiri Tahr

The Eravikulam National Park (15 kms from Munnar) is situated in the Devikulam Taluk of the Idukki District. It lures the travellers with its irresistible grace and beauty. The  97 sq km park lies along the high ranges of the western coast in the Munnar Forest Division of Idukki district in Kerala. It is situated on the border of Kerala and Tamil Nadu in the north where it extends as the Annamalai National Park. The mountains covered with the rolling grasslands and high level sholas is breath-takingly beautiful. This park was established to protect the Nilgiri Tahr also known as the Nilgiri Ibex. The Rajamala is the natural habitat of this rare mountain goat. Half the world population of the endangered Nilgiri Tahr (Hemitragas hylocres) lives here. (Around 1317, according to the 1991 census). Besides the Nilgiri tahr other important fauna are elephant, leopard, tiger, malabar civet, sambar, barking deer, nilgai, langur, phyhon etc. The birds found are imperial pigeon, grey jungle fowl etc.  It was declared as a sanctuary in 1975. Considering the ecological, faunal, floral, geo-morphological and zoological significance, it was declared as a National park in 1978.  The park is divided into 3 regions - the core area, the buffer area and the tourism area. 

Visitors are allowed only to the tourism area which is in the Rajamala region. Trekking facilities are available here. Anamudi(2694 m), the highest peak, south of the Himalayas, is situated in the south of the park.The towering Anamudi,  shrouded in a delicate film of mist, and then suddenly swathed in sunlight, is a sight so spectacular that it will remain fresh in the memory of every visitor. Neelakurinji, a unique species of flowers that sprout once in 12 years, grows profusely on these grasslands, transforming vast areas of hilly terrain into floral celebration. A lot of tourists come to Eravikulam to marvel at this blue-spangled phenomenon. 

Accommodation
Accommodation is available in Munnar town. Royal Retreat at Kannan Devan Hills, Residency at Top Station Road are above medium hotels. Hotel Issacs, East End at Temple Road has some medium range rooms and cottages. Sree Narayana Lodge (S N Lodge) near Post Office, old Munnar are less expensive hotels. In addition, there are government guest houses at Munnar and Devikulam. PWD rest houses also offers accommodation.

How to get there

Air : Cochin International Airport (143 km) is the nearest airport from Eravikulam and connected to many places in India by regular flights. The airport is also connected to places in the Middle East by regular flights.
Rail :  Nearest Railway Station is Aluva in Ernakulam district, 115 km from Munnar. Other railway stations are Kottayam about 142 km from Munnar and Ernakulam, about 130 km from Munnar. 
Road : A motorable road is there up to Rajamalai, the park headquarter. From Rajamalai, one needs to travel on foot for around 18 km. Rajamalai is at a distance of around 15 km from the Munnar town connected to many places in Kerala and Tamil Nadu .

Contacts:

• DFO, Mannar Division, P.O. Devikulam, Distt. Iddukki 

• Assistant Wild Life Warden, Eravikulam National Park, Rajamala (near) Nemakad Estate, Munnar P.O, Kerala

• The Chief Conservator of Forest (WildLife), Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala-695014
  Phone-322217